Mollie Bryant's Blog

A mystery in advertising has emerged recently with a Big Brother-approved message in tow. In California and New York, several billboards now carry messages for the foil hat enthusiast, like “Your data should belong to the NSA,” and “The Internet should be regulated.” The signs are like a giant bear hug to our surveillance society.

Federico Zannier has found the digital equivalent of selling plasma. The New York University grad student has begun selling data he collected on his own internet use on Kickstarter for $2 per each day of data.

During the National Rifle Association's press conference that followed the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary a month ago, Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, pointed a finger at the usual suspects responsible for gun violence.

If you have two thumbs and Internet access, you probably have already heard "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, a novelty song of sorts about poppin' tags and hitting the Good Will. If you haven't heard it, I'll give you fair warning that it's the kind of song that bores into your brain, leaving you humming its catchy chorus until you have either been driven half insane or bought 20 tweed jackets and a blender from the Salvation Army.

During a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had this to say: "Don't tell me Democrats are the party of the future when their presidential ticket for 2016 is shaping up to look like a rerun of the 'Golden Girls."

As I looked at my neighbor’s 15-pumpkin outdoor arrangement two weeks ago, I thought about a couple of things. I thought about how well the miniature pumpkins complemented the larger pumpkins. Then I thought about how that was 15 pumpkins more than I had on my porch, which conjured images of trick-or-treaters avoiding my dark doorstep and calling me “old-woman Bryant” or simply “that oldster."

Like a moth drawn to a flame, celebrities have flocked by the half dozen to Amarillo this week. It started with Kristen Stewart, Twilight movie star, visiting our local Hooter’s, which is considered a celebrity hotspot by those in the know. And alternative rock band Guster also spent some time off here during their summer tour this week.

This holiday season, sales during Cyber Monday were up 30 percent from last year, and online sales appear to be trumping brick-and-mortar sales. But if you shop online, you may have noticed that prices for some things aren’t fixed. How much something costs may change if you check the website later, or if you use a different computer.